Posts Tagged “tweetup”
Last night was #nogup2. An event that had its roots in an impromptu suggestion from Christine Major and Amy Greenlaw in late 2008.
Back then, both women were excited (and still are) about their connection with the Boston social media scene. Although they live in the desolate, far reaches of New Hampshire…tickling the Canadian border and perhaps the Arctic Circle, they asked if somebody would host/organize an eggnog-themed Tweetup.
See all the amazing photos by searching the Web for #nogup and #nogup2. And you can see Derek’s photos of the event HERE.
If you’re unaware of the word Tweetup, it’s essentially a party/meeting/gathering that takes place practically anywhere and for any reason and is organized using the social media tool Twitter – among other communication devices.
Well, the original #nogup took place at Tommy Doyle’s in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA. The attendees numbered ten (if you count @robertcollins who was lost somewhere on the chilly metro-Boston street and @clownface3 who suggested that we stop worrying about Bob and put our iPhones down long enough to enjoy some Nog).
As reminiscence breeds affection, Christine asked me this year if I thought another Nog-up was in order. I contemplated how tough it would be to get ten people together at a bar in the middle of winter and jumped at the opportunity. Holy cow, holy night, unsilent night!
What transpired was memorable, fun and actually charitable. Here are some of the things I recall from last night’s #nogup2 (a list of attendees can be found below that and you can see the invitation and charity details at Eventbrite). Further, if you were there and have some details I missed while I was singing “Pour Some Eggnog on Me” or digging into a massive bowl of Shepherd’s Pie, add them in the comments. Thanks!
The bar staff ran out to buy eggnog at the local Trader Joe’s when they realized I was serious that 75 people were expected.
Steve Garfield gave out copies of his book…………….cover on little cards to those in attendance early. (Get Seen is coming out soon and is available for pre-order on Amazon)
Christine, Kelley, Josh and others sang in front of other noggers – Karaoke is DANGEROUS.
The 50/50 raffle, the book donation bin and the gift cards – all done for Room to Grow – were magnificently successful.
The Yankee Swap was a little less successful and was called ‘Poopy’ by one attendee. I immediately blamed the economy, the patrons in the Asgard who were not at #nogup2 and the deceptively cuddly badger – which looks really cute on Animal Planet but is really mean.
Trooper Gradon Tripp who had to put up with me from noon until 10PM as he attended NomX3 at Bar10 and then kicked off the #nogup with Mike Langford and myself at 4:30 (start time wasn’t until 5:40).
People put everything from Baileys to rum to Amaretto in their eggnog – and because we did this year’s Nog-up in the traditional low-key manner (no name badges and no sign-in list) it was a great way to identify who was there for noggin’.
Derek Peplau won the evening’s Susan Boyle award when he belted out 99 Red Balloons in German, IN TUNE and with amazing spirit. He thanked the academy and announce that he was soon appearing on Dancing with the Stars – his other great love.
Others on stage – namely me – were less able to carry a tune, follow lyrics on a screen or even remember the phrase ‘Pour some eggnog on me’. Were it not for backup singers @pistachio @ellenrossano @stales, I would have been booed off the Karaoke stage faster than @eric_andersen checks into Foursquare.
Rich Sands – for turning a four-hour flight from New York to Boston into a cameo at the Nog-up. Great to see him.
And also, a hearty smile to both Bob Collins and Gretchen who are now considered Nog-up vets.
Shwen popped in for a moment – great to see him.
There was even a Dmitri Gunn sighting, another friendly face.
Finally, the holiday fairies delivered a burst of snow that made Cambridge resemble a winter wonderland for a brief moment on a chilly December eve.
All-in-all, I want to thank everyone for coming and reinforcing my belief that Boston is the best social media city in the world.
Happy Holidays!
Attendees – or not. As I mentioned, I didn’t sign people in. But these folks signed up to attend and there were many more who showed up without signing up.
Anya Downing
Ted McEnroe
Matt Bertuzzi
David Fisher
Jenny Dambek
John Smith
Albert Willis
Laura Fitton
Allison Frasso
Chris Eustace
Allen Bonde
Shwen Gwee
Jennie White
Kerry Israel
Michelle Heath
Laurie Davis
Sarah Greenwood
Andy Carvin
Steve Garfield
Liz Carver
Mike Langford
Greg Nolley
Jamie Bradley
Mick Darling
Leah Rodriguez
Thomas Clifton
Erin Hines
Shava Nerad
Jayna Dinsmore
Rachel Levy
David Gallant
Thomas Edwards
Lisa Johnson
Maggie Battista
Alicia Benjamin
Kara Brickman
Rick Allen
Tamsen McMahon
Lil Pecan
Jim Storer
Rachel Happe
Tracy Lee Carroll
Susan (Sooz) Kaup
Josh Bob
Justin M. Whitaker
Nicholas Peterson
Jenny Frazier
Rich Sands
M. Durwin
Paul Harvey
Christine Major
Biana Bakman
Phumelele Trasada
Kelley Kassa
Derek Peplau
Meredith Kench
Bobbie Carlton
Selina
Renee Hopkins
Joe Cascio
Leslie Poston
Marissa Lowman
Carissa Caramanis O’Brien
Melissa Massello
Ellen Rossano
Alicia Staley
Zach Braiker
Gradon Tripp
Karen Costa
Jeff Cutler
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Tags: Boston, eggnog, Jeff Cutler, karaoke, nogup, nogup2, tweetup
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This past week was pure insanity in regard to number of obligations on my calendar. Usually the weeks following Thanksgiving slow down a bit and the focus turns to holiday preparation. Not this week.
In a nutshell, I was working part time doing some copywriting and proofreading; I had a marketing communications project due for a client; I was appearing on two radio programs and one podcast; I had a few doctor appointments; my car had been ticketed twice so I was taking care of those; there were a few random Tweetups in town I wanted to attend; I was planning to cover a technology conference; and the Movember Gala was on Thursday night.
Add to that the care and feeding of two cats, the importance of personal relationships and the day-to-day operations of the Bungalow, and you’ve got a week that’s too full for words.
Which brings me to the title of this post. Phases.
Each of us runs into times that cause us to refocus our energy. For me, this week was a wake-up call. I’m feeding content vehicles all over the Web. I have three client projects underway, and I’m attending Social Media events as if my schedule was completely free. That’s about to change.
The next phase of Jeff Cutler – not 2.0, but more intelligent – will feature an enhanced panel and speaking calendar; a diminished social calendar (within the Social Media space); and a focus on client and journalism projects.
It’s not to say I won’t show up at the random Tweetup, but that’s something better left to people who define themselves as Social Media Superstars. Let them ride the T to five events each night in an effort to be everything to everyone. I choose to be the best in my current endeavors.
I’ll be great on NomX3.com, in my role as Social Media Trainer for the Society of Professional Journalists nationwide, as a continuing education teacher (also in using social media tools to communicate), a conference panelist, a skilled writer, a dedicated reporter, and a guest on various broadcasts that cover media, lifestyle, technology and passion.
For most of you, this won’t change what you see on the blog or where you see me. Most of my readers have been smart enough to adopt this method themselves and are discerning when choosing which events to attend and when. I’m just following your lead.
See you at a Tweetup or two, a tech conference, or better still…let’s connect over tea and spend some F2F time together.
While social media is a great way to connect, if we do nothing to move beyond the superficial first hello, then we’re not really moving forward. We’re just running around the city smiling and waving, then moving on to the next fleeting greeting.
I’m choosing to make my presence more significant. And this post marks the start of that phase.
Keep reading!
**Oh, yeah. I’m working on a book too. That’s gonna take up some of my time as well. 
Buzz This Post Tags: Boston, Jeff Cutler, phases, priorities, schedule, social media, SPJ, tweetup
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Last night, Mike Langford and I hosted an event for 150+ people at the Estate in Boston. The event was organized to celebrate the release of Gary Vaynerchuk’s book “Crush It” and to do a live taping of NomX3 and WingmanTV.
In a nutshell, we drank some questionable wine, we taped two television shows, we had some laughs on stage and on the floor, Gary signed about 150 books, we hobnobbed from 6PM to nearly 1AM (afterparties at Silvertone and PF Chang’s), and learned a lot about how far passion can bring you in life.
The evening was a rousing success. Our sponsors made it possible to have Gary V in town and I’d like to thank them again for participating. They are:
PerkettPR, Ace Ticket, Brilliant Video, Tweetworks, BuzzBall, Emmi and Sweetwater. Give these links a click to see what these organizations are about.
If by some circumstance you missed it, here are some of the people who were there – (taken from the eventbrite signup list) – and we’ll have the episode of NomX3 with Gary V up shortly.
If you were there, please leave your comments about the night here on this post.
Thanks to everyone who attended!
- Charlotte Birkner, Babson College
- Ali Pincus, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
- Carissa O”Brien, Red Box Communications
- Genni Kurtzman, Hooksett NH Public Schools
- Steve Horwitz, morgan stanley
- sheri singer, bloomingdales
- Ellen Rossano, Crisis Media Consultants
- Cathy Huyghe, Red Whtie Boston
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Buzz This Post Tags: Boston, calendar, Crush It, gary vaynerchuk, Jeff Cutler, mike langford, nomx3, social media, tweetup, WingmanTV
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You hear it almost daily, the urging by others to ‘keep it real’. But what’s that saying mean? Is there some other way to be?
Unfortunately, yes. In an age where there’s immediacy in all our communications and something we share can instantly be viewed and archived by others, there’s a reason to be more deliberate in our words and actions.
It’s simple to offend people just by saying the wrong thing or by typing an innocuous email or sharing a context-free photo. But are these offenses or simple missteps? Back when you wrote a letter or a postcard, or had phones that seldom dropped calls or inserted static at inopportune times, you didn’t have the same misunderstandings.
So, do we blame the lack of perspective and the prevailing hurt feelings on technology? Or is it the result of an ever-increasing pace of life. Or further, is it just softer skins on people who don’t know how to communicate IRL so their social media and online relationships also lack perspective?
I’ve asked a lot of questions here because I’m curious about the drivers of human behavior.
Confused? Am I being too obtuse? Then let’s use a hypothetical…
Bob and Sharon are joking around on the beach. Sharon sees Bob walking past the women’s changing rooms and takes a picture with her phone. Then she adds it to Twitter and shares it with the world – or her 2000 followers – with the caption, “Bob commits a foul by using the girls’ room to change.”
Clearly to Sharon it’s a joke.
Clearly to anyone standing there, it’s a joke.
But Bob goes off the deep end when he find out that Sharon did this horrible thing to his good name. He worries that all of Sharon’s followers and essentially the whole world now believe he would do something as heinous as use the ladies room.
What’s your take?
A. Should Bob pledge to make Sharon’s life miserable every chance he gets because she had fun at Bob’s expense? In a single Tweet? On a single day? Where maybe 10% of Sharon’s followers might see it? Where only the folks following both Bob and Sharon would see the joke?
B. Should Bob let it go and chalk up the experience to Sharon not fully understanding how sensitive Bob was about his image?
C. Should both Bob and Sharon go to remedial social media school to learn how to communicate using the tools of today?
D. Should the event have warranted even these 79 words I’ve used to describe them?
THAT’s what I’m talking about when I wonder if people are being too focused on the way they’re perceived and not focused enough on just being good people.
There are situations like this going on every day and I’ve got one word for the people who are taking themselves so seriously.
Seriously?
Have you run into someone who thinks they’re a bigger deal than they are; or who clearly doesn’t understand how to communicate? Please share those experiences in the comments.
And if you’re out and about tomorrow in Boston and looking for something to do, put this on your tweetup calendar…see Gary Vaynerchuk, Mike Langford, Thomas Edwards and me at the Estate. We’re Wining Dining and Signing. Tickets are still available.
Keep reading!
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Monday – June 29
Boston Wordpress Meetup – 7-9PM
Microsoft Cambridge, 1 Memorial Drive, Cambridge MA
RSVP Appreciated
Tuesday – June 30
MediaBistro – 6-8:30PM
The Vault, 105 Water Street, Boston, MA 02109
RSVP and Preregistration Required
Realize the ROI of a Social Media Community – 6PM
FELT Boston, 533 Washington St, Boston, MA 02111
Eventbrite Link – Preregistration Required
Girls in Tech – 6-10PM
38 Cameron Gallery, 38 Cameron Avenue, Suite 100, Cambridge, MA 02140
Eventbrite Link – WOMEN ONLY (”Issues involved in being a professional women in today’s world”) – Preregistration Required
Subversive Supper Series at BetaHouse – 6:30-10{M
BetaHouse in Central Square
Eventbrite Link – RSVP, Payment and Preregistration Required (Sold Out as of Mon. June 29 – Waiting List started)
Wednesday – July 1
Open Coffee – 8:30AM-???
Cafe Andala, 286 Franklin St, Cambridge, MA 02139
Meetup Group – RSVP Appreciated
Thursday – July 2
Unemployed Networking Meetup – 4PM
Bloc 11 Cafe, 11 Bow Street, Somerville, MA 02144
Eventbrite Link – RSVP Appreciated
Sunday – July 5
Boston Media Makers at Doyle’s Cafe
3484 Washington Street Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, 02130
Link – RSVP Appreciated – Bring Cash for Brunch
Please share events I might have missed in the comments.
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Buzz This Post Tags: @jeffcutler, calendar, meetup, social media, tweetup
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Here in Boston we have a few organizations that help you identify and track worthwhile events. But these tracking services still sometimes have gaps in their coverage due to their mission of only relaying Tweetups or Business events. Therefore, when it’s convenient and I remember I’ll be posting my Week Ahead notes right here on the blog.
Feel free to share these notes and to update my listings with your comments.
My notes for June 29-July 5 will be up soon. Yes, Monday to Sunday seems appropriate as this weekly listing will appear each Sunday – hopefully.
How do you keep your event calendar up-to-date?
Keep reading!
Buzz This Post Tags: @jeffcutler, Boston, calendar, tweetup
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